Klopp’s winter chill
TITLE-CHASING BOSS IS MOST RELAXED MAN AT ANFIELD
JURGEN KLOPP has reassured Liverpool fans he will not freeze in the title battle, saying: “I don’t get nervous.”
The Reds boss is the most chilled-out man on Merseyside as the Anfield club closes in on a first league title in 29 years.
Supporters were left anxious, following the midweek draw with Leicester, which stopped Liverpool opening up a bigger points gap over champions Manchester City.
Klopp has experienced title success in Germany with Borussia Dortmund and insists he will stay calm as the battle with City reaches fever pitch.
“I am not a nervous person and so I was never nervous before the first title,” said Klopp. “That’s how it is. Yes, experience showed me that the way I did it in the past worked.
“So, I didn’t change. Our tools to sort the situation is football.
“Yes, there is pressure. There was pressure last year.
“A lot of pressure when we played Manchester City away in the quarter- finals of the Champions League – and we dealt with it.
“Will there be nervous moments? Yes, for sure. But don’t make them bigger than they are because there were nervous situations last year, two years ago, three years ago. That is part of the game.
“People are in a little bit of doubt about this and that and I understand. We were not champions for 29 years.
“No one thinks like that at City, but it’s a different situation. The people are really desperate. Is that positive?
“They really want it with all they have. But there are no guarantees and, again, I am not a nervous person.”
So, with all that pressure, is the “title” word banned in the dressing room as the countdown begins to skipper Jordan Henderson possibly lifting the Premier League trophy?
Klopp added: “We are first in the table. What do we talk about? We don’t have to come in to work every day and point at the table.
“We want to finish the season as well as possible – and it looks like we could do something special.
“But, of course, we don’t talk about it. It makes no sense.
“A marathon runner in April doesn’t talk or think in the race he is running now about the Olympic Games because he has to run this step by step.
“Win that race. Try with everything you have and then we will see. Stay healthy, stay fit. Try as hard as possible and then a big smile afterwards.
“We all have to work very hard to win one Premier League game – and that is what we have to do 14 times.”